Fire on the mountain: birds and burns in the Rocky Mountains

The diversity of climate and topography across the Rocky Mountains has resulted in a broad spectrum of fire regimes ranging from frequent, low-severity fires to infrequent stand-replacement events. Such variation in fire history contributes to landscape structure and dynamics, and in turn can influence subsequent fire behavior (Allen et al. 2002). In essence, landscapes across the Rocky Mountains are shifting mosaics that reflect variation in disturbance frequency, severity, and time since the last disturbance. Superimposed on, and interacting with, fire regimes are other natural disturbances (e.g., insect outbreaks) and the influence of human activities. In turn, the collective influence of fire and human activities on the landscape influences avian community structure and dynamics.